


The Field Trip

by Miyuki_scourgeofthefirenation



Series: That Zukka Teacher AU [4]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Azula is a good Aunt, Family, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Field Trip, Gen, Humor, M/M, POV Azula (Avatar), Zoo, there i said it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:48:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27083653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miyuki_scourgeofthefirenation/pseuds/Miyuki_scourgeofthefirenation
Summary: Azula would do anything to make her niece Izumi happy. Including chaperoning a class field trip to the zoo. Sokka and Zuko have some concerns about this, but ultimately they just want to make Izumi happy too. This leads to Aunt Azula, 20 nine year olds, liangfen, and of course a peacock.~All works in the series, while within the same universe, can be understood and enjoyed as standalone fics!
Relationships: Azula & Izumi (Avatar), Azula & OCs, Azula & Sokka (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Izumi & OCs, Izumi & Sokka (Avatar), Izumi & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: That Zukka Teacher AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829605
Comments: 17
Kudos: 175





	The Field Trip

**Author's Note:**

> So brain remembered how it loved Azula. So it wrote more Azula. Enjoy!
> 
> The Sokka/Zuko relationship is pretty background in this. The star of the show here is the Azula and Izumi family bonding.

“But you ha- don’t like children.” Her brother-in-law was regarding her suspiciously from where he sat with his arms crossed in front of his chest across the table from her.

Azula heaved a put upon sigh. “I like Izumi.”

“Izumi isn’t children. She’s your niece, and therefore exempt. The other 19 kids in her class will not be exempt.”

“I can handle it for one day Sokka,” Azula said peevishly.

“I still don’t get why you would even want to volunteer to be a class chaperone for a 3rd grade field trip to the zoo! Even with Izumi there! You don’t like zoos either!”

“They smell,” Azula murmured before she could stop herself, instantly annoyed when she caught Sokka’s smug expression at being right. “But that doesn’t matter. Izumi asked if I could go with as chaperone, so I’m going with as chaperone!”

“Azula,” Sokka sighed, hanging his head over the table. “I love how much you care for Izumi, truly it warms my heart, but I’m still worried about this. Neither me nor Zuko need to deal with the fallout if you traumatize a group of small children.”

Azula scoffed. “O ye of little faith. I will not traumatize the children. They’re innocent souls. I’ll bottle all that up and save for the next time me and Ty Lee have dinner with you and Zuzu.”

“Haven’t Zuko and I suffered enough as well?”

Zuko walked in right at that moment, having just returned to his and Sokka’s home after picking Izumi up from her after school painting camp. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I agree with Sokka.”

Azula rolled her eyes. “Shocking statement there, big brother.”

Just as Sokka opened his mouth with a smirk to explain the situation to his husband, Izumi came barreling into the room and threw herself around Azula. “Aun’ Azula! Aun’ Azula! Do you want to see my painting?”

“Of course my lovely,” Azula cooed, eagerly nodding in agreement. Her niece had been the apple of her eye from the moment Zuko and Sokka had adopted her seven and a half years ago. Izumi proudly pulled out a small canvas with a waterfall painted in broad strokes across it, turning to show it off to her dads as well. All the adults smiled widely and offered up praise for the work.

After Izumi had her fill of the accolades being offered to her, she turned back to address Azula. “So, Aun’ Azula,” she spoke seriously, “are you gonna be able to come to the zoo with my class?”

“Absolutely lovely, I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Azula glared in triumph over at Sokka, who sighed and threw up his hands in defeat. Azula caught the slightly alarmed look Zuko gave Sokka, but paid it no mind. All three of them were suckers for Izumi, and if Izumi wanted Azula to come along as a chaperone on the field trip then we would be coming along. With that settled, whether Zuko and Sokka were particularly happy about it or not, Azula could focus on other things for the rest of the night. Like spoiling her niece.

“So, Izumi, I was shopping the other day and came across these fabulous glitter stickers... You wouldn’t happen to know of anyone who might want to help me use them would you?” Izumi shrieked in delight, and dragged a laughing Azula off to her room to begin covering notebooks, folders, and pencil cases in glittery mythical creatures.

* * *

The day of the field trip dawned and Azula was up early. She had to be to get to Izumi’s school on time for their 9:30 departure. She lived a little over an hour and a half driving distance from the town where her brother, niece, and brother-in-law lived.

Azula was obsessively punctual, always had been. The idea of being late to things drove her crazy. The result being that she then found herself at Izumi’s school a good twenty minutes before the bus was set to leave. She hesitated. She didn’t know if she should go in, or stay in her car like a creep. Realizing that sitting in a car in front of a school building full of young children watching the entrance probably wasn’t a good look, Azula hastily gathered her few items into her purse and got out of the car.

She took a deep breath before opening the door to the school. She needed to project confidence to whoever was at the front desk, make it clear she had a reason for being here. As she strode in, the man behind the desk looked up at her with a smile.

“Hi! How can I help you?” He asked in a deep voice, brown eyes kind behind a pair of glasses.

“Hello. I’m Azula, Izumi’s aunt. I’m here to chaperone the field trip happening today.”

The man turned to his computer, making a few clicks with the mouse. “Ah, yes, here we are! And you submitted all your information and picture like we asked in advance, thank you for that, makes my job a lot easier!” Azula gave a small smile at that. Praise of any kind always was encouraging. “If you’d like you can head to the classroom now. Room 113. They should be going over rules with the children, and it would probably be good for the teacher and teacher’s aide to get a chance to introduce you to everyone.”

“Thank you,” Azula said, turning to head in the direction the man had indicated the classroom was in.

“Have a good time on the field trip!” He called after her. Azula gave a little backward wave as she walked purposefully down the hallway.

Before long she found herself in front of room 113. She reached up a hand and gave a quick rap on the door. The door was pulled open by a smiling woman with light brown skin.

“Hi!” The woman exclaimed cheerfully.

“Hello. I’m Azula, here to chaperone the field trip.”

“Yes, yes! Come in!” The woman stepped back, ushering her inside the classroom. Even Azula had to admit the space was adorable. There were tables scattered around the space with multicolored plastic chairs pushed in. A variety of fun and colorful posters decorated the walls, alternating between educational concepts and cute animal images. Sunlight streamed through a row of windows along one wall, gel clings in the shape of flowers and stars attached.

The group of kids, Izumi and her classmates, were gathered around a low table in front of a whiteboard. A black man stood in front of the board, dry erase marker in hand.

“Hello!” He said to her as she walked in. “Right on time, I was just going over field trip rules with everyone! I’m Mr. Taylor, the teacher for the room. That’s Ms. Alejandra, the teacher’s aide.” He indicated the woman who had met Azula in with an incline of his head. Then he turned to face the gaggle of eager eyed children still sitting on the floor in front of him. “Everyone, this is Ms. Azula. She’s Izumi’s aunt and will be chaperoning on our field trip today. I know you all are used to listening to me and Ms. Alejandra, and you do such a great job too! Today you have to treat Ms. Azula the same way, okay?”

A chorus of agreement came from around the room, and Mr. Taylor beamed. As he went back to explaining the rules for the day, Ms. Alejandra motioned for Azula to sit next to her in a couple of chairs located on the side of the room. Azula sat down, and caught Izumi peeking over at her. She gave a small wave to her niece, and was rewarded with a broad grin of such happiness that Azula thought her heart might burst. This day was going to be awesome.

* * *

They arrived at the zoo right as it opened at 10:00. Once there a zoo instructor introduced herself as Ling, and ushered them into a classroom space. They spent the next hour enjoying the learning demonstration Ling gave, before exiting the room and heading outside to the courtyard to eat their packed lunches.

Izumi of course insisted that Azula sit at a table with her and her friends. It was quite pleasant, if a bit loud. They weren’t the only school group visiting the zoo, so the courtyard tables were packed with dozens of rowdy children. Azula sniffed, but was pleased to note that Izumi’s class was by far the best behaved group of kids there. They were enjoying themselves, laughing at jokes and talking about what animals they were most excited to see.

“The bison, duh!” Penelope declared from across the table where she sat munching on a carrot stick.

“No way, the penguins! We get to see them swimming underwater!” That was Abdul’s input.

“But maybe we’ll get lucky and the lions will roar at us!” Marcie fidgeted excitedly, adjusting her hearing aid. For the new influx of noise in the courtyard Azula assumed. A particularly loud group of teenagers had just sat down at a table near them.

Azula fought back the urge to snap at the teenagers. She turned to where Izumi was next to her, both of them eating from containers of spicy homemade liangfen. Azula had briefly panicked upon arriving at the zoo and realizing she hadn’t packed anything for lunch. She knew she could buy some food, but worried about how that would look when everyone else in the group had brought lunch. When it came time for lunch though, Izumi had pulled out two containers of the jelly noodles and two pairs of chopsticks.

“Dad thought you might enjoy some liangfen,” she had whispered. “He knows it’s your favorite.” Azula had been hit with a begrudging rush of affection for her brother. It was true that Azula loved the spicy dish, especially the way he made it.

“I will have to tell him thank you,” she said, smiling as her niece began to eat the food with gusto.

Lunch was winding down now, and the kids were getting progressively more excited as the prospect of actually getting to walk around and see the animals neared. Azula was startled out of her thoughts by a loud screeching sound. It had seemed to come from above their heads. The courtyard had some partially shaded areas, trellis like structures providing the shade. Izumi and her friends had managed to get a table under one of these structures.

Azula didn’t know what she expected to find when she looked up. Maybe a small pigeon or something. She wasn’t expecting this though.

“What the-“ she began before remembering she was surrounded by nine year olds, and hastily correcting herself. “What’s that?” She gulped, staring up at the large shadow of a creature above her head. The children all looked up.

“Oh, that’s a peacock,” Abdul giggled.

“Okay, good to know. Why is it loose? Shouldn’t it be kept in an enclosure somewhere?” Azula hadn’t taken her eyes off the bird since she started talking.

“Oh no, the peacocks are free to roam the zoo,” Abdul offered. “It actually seems to be a pretty common thing for zoos generally, not just this one.”

“That doesn’t seem safe,” Azula muttered, still eyeing the bird that was now positioned in a way that felt uncomfortably easy for it to decide to relieve itself right on her. She was saved by Ms. Alejandra standing up from the table next to them and clapping her hands in a few short, sharp bursts to get the attention of the students.

“Everyone! It’s finally animal time! Please clean up where you were sitting and gather over there,” she pointed to a spot near the main zoo entrance building. “We will take turns using the restroom and then we can get started with our explorations!”

The group of children gave a cheer, and quickly began putting any uneaten snacks back into their lunch packs and picking up food wrappers with clumsy hands. Azula had to chide Penelope to throw away her bits of orange peel into a trash can. Penelope protested that she wanted the peacock to have a snack. As much as Azula didn’t like the bird, she also didn’t want to be indirectly responsible if it managed to choke and die on the leftover bits of orange. Once everything had been properly disposed of, the group had gathered, and the bathroom break taken, it was time to set off into the zoo.

* * *

The truth was, Azula really didn’t like zoos all that much. She found them overwhelming. But it was worth being there to see the joy on Izumi’s face as she and her classmates walked around. 

Izumi squealed when the group saw the meerkats poking their heads up out of the ground in the Africa section. She eagerly ran alongside the penguins as they swam back and forth through the water on the other side of the glass. She and her friends made roaring sounds when by the lions, falling into helpless giggles as the lions looked on without taking any notice of the small children. They even lucked out and were there when the keepers were doing some training and enrichment with the lemurs. Azula hadn’t known lemurs could be so loud before, but she sure knew after that.

The best moment though, in Azula’s opinion, was when they were in the marine life area. There was a tank dedicated to seahorses, with several of the critters swimming around lazily. Izumi was completely taken by them, lingering by the tank even as her classmates moved away to look at the other fish in the room. But then again, seahorses were Izumi’s favorite animal.

“Hey lovely, having fun?” Azula asked, coming to stand next to her niece.

“Yeah,” Izumi said in a reverent whisper, glancing shyly up at Azula with a grin on her face.

“Good! These guys seem interesting, want to tell me about them?” she gestured to the seahorses, knowing Izumi’s knowledge of them probably outstripped even the informational panel next to the tank.

Izumi’s face brightened even more, the little girl immediately launching into a detailed explanation of seahorses. Azula listened happily, mentally filing away some facts to remember. That way if it came up with Izumi again later (though it was more like _when_ it came up with Izumi later) Azula could show she had been listening and taking her niece’s interests seriously. 

She had read somewhere that this kind of positive reinforcement was good for children, back when Zuko and Sokka were just beginning their adoption process and Azula realized she knew nothing about creating a safe and loving environment for children. And she had wanted to. She wanted to be a part of her brother’s future child’s life so bad. So she had read extensively in preparation. Sokka had joked that she was taking the adoption process more seriously than even he and Zuko were. Zuko had taken her aside and thanked her for what she was doing, knowing perfectly well how difficult it was with how their upbringing had been.

* * *

While leaving the zoo they passed briefly through the gift shop, not able to stop or buy anything for multiple reasons. Azula watched as Izumi’s gaze snagged on a poster of the seahorses from the zoo. She smiled, making another mental note to herself to come back to the zoo later and buy the poster as a birthday gift for the girl.

Once back on the bus to go back to the school, Izumi insisted on sitting next to Azula. She had sat with her friends on the way there, but had now decided she wanted to sit next to her aunt. Azula assumed it was because she had come to the realization that the day of fun was coming to an end. She gladly welcomed her to the seat, motioning for her niece to let her fix her ponytail. The ponytail was now lopsided, with strands falling out on either side of her face. Evidence of how much the day had been enjoyed. After her ponytail was fixed, Izumi lay her head against Azula’s shoulder.

“Thanks for coming today Aun’ Azula,” she murmured, sleepy now.

“You’re welcome lovely,” Azula replied, sighing contentedly as she leaned back and watched the world pass by through the bus window.

**Author's Note:**

> Liangfen is a Chinese noodle dish that has noodles made out of starch jelly. It is usually made with a spicy sauce, and served cold. I thought it would make a good choice for a packed lunch item.
> 
> All my loving, I will send to yoooouuuu… All my loving, for some comments and kudddooooosssss… *Jazz hands*  
> ~Follow me on Tumblr if you wanna! @miyuki-scourgeofthefirenation  
> I take fic requests, though I make no promises about timeliness in fulfilling them. Hit me up on Tumblr and we can talk about it. No NSFW. Don’t ask, it’s not gonna happen.  
> I upload for ATLA on Sundays!


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